1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal provided with a touch screen for displaying and inputting data, which identifies a user's operating hand for holding the terminal based on an input through the touch screen, and determines the display mode based on the identified operating hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike the desktop personal computer, the main body of the mobile terminal has been required to be compact for improving portability. The key input system is required to satisfy contradicting requirements to be compact and to establish the operability to a certain level. Various arts have been developed for improving the operability of the mobile terminal upon input through the key.
Normally, every user is expected to operate the mobile terminal in accordance with the key arranged thereon. Therefore, the user has to adaptively use the mobile terminal device. Specifically, such factors as the size of the user's hand, the accessible range of the finger of the user's hand for holding the terminal device, and the difference in the finger accessible range between the right hand and the left hand for holding the terminal have not been considered.
When the user operates the mobile terminal having the touch screen as the input/output interface with one hand, there may be a region where the user feels it difficult to access the touch screen with the finger, or there may be a case where the touch screen display is hidden by the user's operating hand.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-274136 discloses the mobile terminal device capable of laying out the operation keys displayed on the touch panel in accordance with the user for improving the usability. The mobile terminal device is structured to display the operation keys on the display unit for inputting through the touch panel. The display position and range of the operation keys on the display may be determined based on the user's operation for drawing a circle or a polygon on the touch panel. Based on the determined display position and range, the operation keys are displayed on the display unit.
However when the display position and range are defined by the circular line drawn by the user on the touch screen, the starting point of the circular line and the rotating direction of the path largely depend on the user's habit. It is therefore difficult to identify the user's operating hand for holding the terminal device, that is, whether the left hand or the right hand. As the center (gravity center) of the circular line depends on the size of the touch screen, it is difficult to identify the user's operating hand for holding the terminal device based on the circular line drawn by the user.
Normally, in takes time for the user to draw the circular line on the touch screen because of the complicated operation of the finger joint. When the circular line is input quickly, the circle is likely to become so small that the operation keys displayed in the circle are too small for operation.
As drawing of the circular line on the touch panel is lengthy, the time required for the input operation and the determination become prolonged.